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Last year was one of the safest years on record for aviation, according to the an independent watchdog group. The Aircraft Crashes Record Office noted that 136 serious accidents occurred in 2007, the lowest number in 44 years.

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Delta Air Lines General Counsel Ben Hirst is meeting with Minnesota legislators to discuss repayment terms on a $245 million bond issue inherited from Northwest Airlines. Delta wants to repay the bonds by 2022, but the state's Metropolitan Airports Commission could demand payment 10 years earlier if Northwest's headquarters in Eagan, Minn., is closed. "Declining Delta's request to renegotiate the bond debt wouldn't make much sense for the MAC or the state," says an editorial in the state's largest newspaper. "There's no real upside to immediate repayment of the bonds, and the MAC has the potential leverage in the negotiations to do some good for Minnesota."

Despite opposition from labor unions, Northwest Airlines CEO Doug Steenland said Wednesday he expects federal approval this year for the planned merger with Delta Air Lines. "We expect that the merger will be completed, get through the regulatory authorities so that it can close and take place still this year," he said at a Tokyo press conference.

Delta Air Lines will decide later this year whether to exercise options that will allow it to buy more Boeing 777s. The airline took delivery of a new 777 on Friday. Chief Financial Officer Ed Bastian noted that the new planes will allow Delta to continue its international expansion.

Travelers will benefit from airline consolidation, US Airways Chief Operating Officer Robert Isom said. He noted that mergers can help carriers improve their finances, which improves their ability to cater to customers. He expects customer service at US Airways to improve this year, and noted that the airline has repaired a problematic reservations system.

United Airlines CEO Glenn Tilton said work has begun to ease congestion and transform China into a global aviation leader. He noted that Chinese airlines and airports are poised to compete in the global market.